


Take My Hand, Teach Me To Dance

by FrozenHearts



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ballroom Dancing, Calanthe is so done with geralt and jaskier pining, Calanthe plays matchmaker, Canon Compliant, Dancing, Episode: s01e04 Of Banquets Bastards and Burials, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Gen, Jealousy, M/M, Pavetta and Duny are the cutest okay, Post-Canon, Pre-Slash, Rated T for mild cursing idk, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-20 03:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22075198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: At Pavetta and Duny's wedding banquet, Calanthe can't help but notice how the witcher pines for the bard, despite how much he denies it
Relationships: Calanthe Fiona Riannon & Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Calanthe Fiona Riannon/Eist, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion & Pavetta, Pavetta/Duny Urcheon
Comments: 42
Kudos: 1758
Collections: GERALT AND JASKIER ARE FUCKING GAY





	Take My Hand, Teach Me To Dance

**Author's Note:**

> More Jaskier/Geralt content- in the games I ship Geralt with Triss, but we don't have enough Triss content on the show yet so I've fallen into Jaskier/Geralt hell with the show
> 
> (Also first fic of the new year for me!! Happy New Year!!!)

It was a year after the whole fiasco with Pavetta and Duny that Calanthe found herself sitting once again in the banquet hall of the castle of Cintra. It was a year after that the hall was brightly lit and noblemen amd women alike were swirling around the room in brightly colored skirts and ruffled collars to whatever tunes the bard and his entourage had decided to play.

Calanthe wouldn't admit that she enjoyed the song very much, as she sat next to her daughter and new son in law, sharing a plate of fruits and darkened meat. Instead of admitting it, she gulped at her wine, eyes trained on the dancefloor as she watched her guests like a hawk. 

"You keep scowling like that they say your face will get stuck, mother," Pavetta giggled as she leaned into her shoulder.

"Good thing you're still beautiful for the both of us," Calanthe shot back with a bored drawl, "top of the hat to you both, compared to all these bumbling fools trying to impress."

Duny chuckled next to Pavetta, chewing intently on a chicken leg. Calanthe had to admire his dedication- meeting her daughter night after night, keeping up his.... love? Ministrations? Calanthe wasn't sure what to call it, but the Urcheon lad was true to Pavetta, and seeing Pavetta happy was all Calanthe needed. 

"Any problems, last night Duny?" Calanthe nodded at the man, who was quick to swallow his food.

"None at all, your Majesty, thank you," Duny nodded his head in appreciation; ever since the transformation back into his human form, many of the staff had reported Duny wandering around the castle at night, or making odd animalistic noises when he was startled. 

It was a work in progress, but at least Pavetta was happy. 

"I can see a problem on the dance floor," Pavetta pointed towards the left side of the room- Calanthe followed her finger to see none other than Geralt of Rivia standing by his lonesome, dressed in a tawdry dark blue jerkin and black pants. His white hair was pulled back ever so slightly and his fave was scrunched in that ever familiar scowl. 

"Seems the witcher is not entertained," Calanthe chewed the inside of her cheek, eyes scanning the ballroom until she found the bard. 

He, as always, was dressed to the nines, adorned in bright silks and scraps of satin and lace; his dark purple doublet twinkled in the candlelight, casting merry shadows as he danced around his stage with his lute. A small group had gathered in front of him to enjoy the music and if Calanthe wasn't mistaken there were a few flowers on stage at his feet. 

"The bard," Calanthe coughed as she took another sip of wine, "What's his name?"

Duny chimed in with a helpful, "They say his name is Jaskier, although some have taken to dubbing him Dandelion."

Huh. Jaskier was jaunting about, beaming as one of the men watching him perform stepped forward, presenting a single red flower that Jaskier took with a wink and a smile.

Across the ballroom, Geralt was rigid against the wall, snatching a mug of ale from a passing waiter so quickly he spilled most of it in an attempt to take a drink. 

"Oh," Pavetta cooed as she leaned into her husband, "Jaskier stopped playing- the man with the flower is offering to dance!"

With the music having stopped, a few guests looked confused before breaking from the dancefloor to grab some food but the mam with Jaskier was still there, talking to the bard almost desperately.

Calanthe took a final drag of wine, rolling her eyes- Geralt was still watching from his perch on the opposite side of the ballroom.

"Mother? Is everything alright?" Pavetta asked as she got up from her seat at the head table.

"Fine," Calanthe practically growled, chair screeching as she pushed it in, "I need to tall some sense into a couple of bumbling fools."

Heels clicking rapidly against the tiled floor, Calanthe knew she was drawing odd looks from the guests, but she didn't care. Normally Eist would tell her not to meddle, but the music had stopped playing, her daughter deserved a good night and if she kept getting distracted from her new husband because of these two fools, well she'd fix it. Even if Pavetta would tell her not to, even if Eist would lightly scold her when they lay together later, whatever. She didn't care. 

Geralt met her steely gaze with his own yellow eyes, looking almost amber in the candlelight. Up close, he looked slightly uncomfortable, but Calanthe squared her shoulders, glaring up at him as hard as she could.

He raised an eyebrow.

"May I help you, Your Majesty?" Geralt let out a heavy sigh.

"More like help yourself," Calanthe shot back, moving to lean against the wall with him.

"I do that plenty," Geralt took a sip of his drink.

"On the road fighting monsters," Calanthe snorted, "these are a different type entirely."

"And you would know."

"Jealousy comes in all types, witcher," Calanthe crossed her arms. The wall was cool against her back through the fabric of her dress, making her shiver slightly. Across the way, the nobleman talking to Jaskier looked to be getting quite insistent, trying to take the lute out of his hands to dance. 

Despite thinking him quite foolish when they first met, Calanthe was surprised to see the bard had some modicum of common sense, pulling away from the nobleman with a spin of his heel, fingers strumming a jaunty tune that echoed in the cavernous room. Jaskier tried to get the crowd going and in a few seconds, the guests were all cheering and clapping along with the song. 

"Your bard seems quite popular this evening," Calanthe cleared her throat, "Pavetta enjoys his music quite a lot."

"Good for the princess," Geralt tipped his ale in her direction, "her first dance shall be breathtaking, then."

"No one asked you to dance?" Calanthe switched the subject, smirking at Geralt's obvious discomfort, "You look dashing in that monkey suit of yours."

"This monkey suit is the reason no one wants to dance with me," Geralt joked, "all the bard's fault, really."

Calanthe snorted, "Reason no one will dance with you is because you look like you'll rip their intestines out through their ass if they dare approach."

Geralt made an amused noise and the two fell back into a comfortable silence, watching the guests move back towards the middle of the dance floor. Duny was quick to get Pavetta to dance with him, their faces shining as they laughed and kissed and generally tried not to step on each other's toes. 

The couple danced fairly close to Jaskier's stage and the bard hopped down, sweeping up the flower from his suitor to serenade the newlyweds, tucking the red petals delicately into Pavetta's golden braids.

"Your bard was very popular at the last banquet," Calanthe finally broke the silence, watching with dull fascination as the nobleman who gave Jaskier the flower had not so discreetly pick another rose from a nearby pot.

A scowl graced Geralt's face, "He isn't my bard. He's a thorn in my side."

"Not with that attitude, you oaf!" Calanthe hissed, snatching his mug from him as he went to take another sip, "He had men and women fawning all over him last time!"

"Did that include you as waltzed in bathed with blood?" Geralt retorted.

"A woman must have hobbies, witcher," Calanthe said matter-of-factly. "Mine just so happen to involve... anger management. More than your own past times, I'm afraid."

The witcher snorted instead of giving her an actual answer, so she went back to watching the guests dance; specifically it was Jaskier she was keeping an eye on, considering he had been accosted in her court prior to tonight. The nobleman had taken to making a complete buffoon of himself trying to get the bard's attention while he performed and Calanthe was vaguely aware of Geralt tensing next to her as he was no doubt watching the scene as well. 

Interesting.

"I understand you aren't part of my guard, so I can't technically order you to do so, but," Calanthe smiled wryly as she shoves Geralt off the wall and towards the throng of people, "I do believe your bard is in higher demand than you think."

The way Geralt's face flushed was absolutely hilarious as he protested with a hasty "He isn't my bard!"

Calanthe waved off his annoyance with the flick of her wrist, "So says you, witcher. Now go ask him to dance- I'm fairly certain that Nilfgaardian prick is ready to tear the poor man's trousers off and take him right there."

It was almost like watching a bloodhound sniff out poison, the way Geralt scowled and pouted and stalled despite whipping around and stalking towards the stage. The music had long since stopped playing, a few onlookers curious as to the commotion being had. Calanthe had recognized the nobleman as the same cad who'd bragged about his fertile seed inside Pavetta, after all- he deserved what was coming to him from a very jealous, slightly angry witcher.

"Geralt!" Jaskier's voice carried in the almost silent room, and Calanthe laughed into her wine as the Nilfgaardian man spouted some nonsense of the bard owing him until Geralt practically growled, leaning in close.

Calanthe wasn't sure what he'd said but the idiot had tucked his tail between his legs and made a quick retreat, leaving Geralt to deal with his over-excitable bard by his lonesome. She watched as the witcher bowed to Jaskier, shoulders stiff as he offered a hand and there was a chorus of whistles and applause as Jaskier accepted, handing his lute off to one of his friends before allowing Geralt to lead him in the next dance.

"Fucking finally," Calanthe muttered under her breath, calling down a waiter to bring her another mug, preferably one of ale. 

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell I adore Calanthe and Pavetta with my whole heart best mother/daughter duo in fiction


End file.
